Blood sugar diet thread 8

[thenewaveragebear1983]

Thread 8 for the blood sugar dieters

Hope you and your dh are ok aplace - so stressful going through times like that where it is one thing after another

Well done on 10k Jiggly, how did you work your calories around the run?

Fantastic sounding day Bear! I wish I had read that half an hour ago. I was feeling still full after a v healthy late lunch of good life vegetarian masala with cauliflower rice and extra spinach and coriander. Had pretty much decided to fast this eve until I was faced with uneaten bits on buffet style dc's dinner (not scavenging from their plates never do that oh no ) so instead of under 800 I am finishing at 1220 and feeling a bit stodgy.

I'm going to try some overnight oats tomorrow, using almond milk- has anyone ever tried these?

LOL I wish yumyum! I meant 10,000 steps, not 10 kms! Sorry to disillusion you

Only with cow's milk, bear - they're yummy.

Jiggly I always get the wrong end of the stick... I was thinking what's the matter with Jiggly OF COURSE she is hungry if running 10ks like they are nothing!

Let us know how you get on Bear! I have not tried overnight oats but have been thinking about trying them as I accidentally bought DP a bircher museli base that has hardly any sugar in it and needs overnight soaking. I also have an unopened carton of u/s almond milk in the fridge that expires in the next week or so!

Today was hard. I had to go to London. Breakfast at home before I left, packed lunch (on plan), dinner out. Lots of opportunities for people to offer me cake (homemade brownies). A fair amount of time on the train when I'd normally be snacking. And so on. But I'm really pleased with myself for sticking to it! I'm pretty sure I ate more than 800 calories but I didn't have carbs and I didn't have sweet things. Dinner was smoked mackerel with beetroot crisps and sour cream, followed by grilled chicken with truffle oil and parmesan, and lots of green vegetables. I didn't eat the butternut squash that was on my plate.

I've just got home and I'm super-tired, but really, really glad about how it went.

Morning all

I use almond milk in my shakes to keep the calories down- 13 cal per 100 ml rather than 49 cals for semi. I know we’re supposed to have full fat dairy but I can’t stomach blue top milk so green is the highest I’ll go! I don’t use almond milk in hot drinks though. I suppose the benefits are that you get the goodness of nuts, plus I guess it’s a sugar free alternative to dairy milk as there is no lactose - some people do find lactose especially in large quantities, can send sugar levels a bit haywire, despite being ‘allowed’. I can’t eat yoghurt for breakfast for this reason, it awakens my carb cravings.

I soaked 30g of oats in 150 ml almond milk and added 50g frozen raspberries - left in the fridge overnight. I am in two minds whether to add more milk and blend it into a shake, or whether to eat it as it is. It hasn’t absorbed all the milk so I must have got the quantities not quite right. It’s the first time I’ve had ‘food’ for breakfast, so I’m a bit concerned that it will make me hungry, plus it is quite carby. The jury’s out- watch this space!

Ok- I had used too much milk so I couldn’t face it cold....zapped in the microwave, it made a very nice porridge, and the frozen berries went almost jam-like. It was very nice, but did not feel at all BSD. If I could manage to save the calories til the evening it would make a very satisfying evening treat in future. I may do it again for breakfast, provided that the oats don’t do crazy things to my cravings today.

So where did I go wrong with my overnight oats? In the past (slimming world days!) I’ve used yoghurt, but that would send the calorie count sky high so I won’t be doing that. Probably just need to use less milk.

Ending today on 1161 cals and 90g carbs. I’ll leave it up to you to decide whether the oats this morning affected my carb cravings......

I’ve done a good run though, 3.2k which is my personal record (although it’s not that far really) and done 13k steps.

My food’s been good today, I had the oats this morning, soup for lunch, and for dinner I had a chicken breast with pesto, wrapped in flaky pastry (I weighed it all out so carefully as it was all a bit calorific). It was so tasty though, although my whole day has been pretty carby. Then I’ve just had some yoghurt and blueberries, totally on top of my calorie count! I set an alarm to remind me to drink so I’ve had a LOT of water today.

I’ve reached that point where I’m not really thinking about food, and also when I do eat, it tastes amazing. That’s a really positive experience because instead of feeling controlled by food and eating things I don’t really even want, I feel quite empowered by my control of it and am eating things that I am enjoying.

Long may it last! The weekend is looming; Dh has already said he’s going to break dry jan and have a drink but I’m determined not to.

I'm definitely starting to notice things tasting different too, although I suspect it would be even better if I didn't have a cold at the moment. I really, really want a Strepsil right now!

I've done 4 days of sub-800 perfection and today I took the dog on a 6km walk.

I've just poured myself a glass of wine to celebrate and/or provide solace because I've just had a huge row with DS about being ungrateful (those conversations never go well with children, do they? :o ). So he's crying and I'm feeling mean (although it did need saying - he's always horrible post-Christmas).

So I shall drink a glass of wine and be otherwise virtuous. I bought an enormous cauliflower yesterday and I'm going to divide it into 3. I'm going to roast 2/3s of it and have venison sausages, roasted cauli and spinach for dinner and the rest for lunch tomorrow.

I've discovered that a dip made by mixing a squirt of anchovy paste and garlic paste into plain yoghurt is delicious so that's what I shall dip the cold cauli into.

I wish I were you instead Bear!

Oooooh venison sausages sound good jiggly. Plus roasted cauliflower. I’ve learned doing this plan that I actually like cauli, particularly with curry type flavours added. It’s so boring boiled on its own, I never realised how nice it was!

I’ve had a good day so far. I did my longest run to date, 4K, and have just realised that all I’ve eaten is a bowl of chicken soup and a piece of feta cheese. Feeling hungry now though! I marinated some pork chops in orange juice, 5 spice, garlic and teriyaki (a bit of an experiment!) and will be having with stir fried veg.

The real dilemma is: to drink wine, or not to drink wine? Dh has bought a bottle. Right now I’m feeling very determined and don’t want it, but I am quite weak willed! Seeing as it’s the first sip that is the best, would it be weird to just have one mouthful and leave the rest??!!! I would have enough calories left over for a glass so I suppose that gives me the choice later!

Oh, yes, roasted curry-spiced cauliflower is gorgeous! Venison sausages also sound yummy.

Yesterday I found 4 Cadbury's toffee eclairs in my handbag from last week and ate them. I've got a rotten cold and I just didn't have any willpower to stop myself. But I had still lost 1lb when I weighed myself today and I've been well under 800 calories today. Still feeling rubbish and going to bed very soon.

Today's weigh in: 16 stone, 12 and 3/4 pounds. That makes (a) 8lbs lost in 5 days and (b) the first time I've weighed less than 17 stone in at least 7 years. WOW.

Also, my cold is finally on the way out, and I feel amazing. Full of energy.

Bear, where did you get your plastic takeaway containers from, because I've tried a couple, and they were rubbish?

Not doing so good here. Fab meals. But crap eating of crisps and chocolate and chocolate biscuits, in between. Can't seem to get going.

Yum yum how are you doing? Are you nearer the Lower stone threshold?

When you go down into the next stone bracket it feels so good, doesn't it?

(not that I'd know, because I'm nearer 10 and 1/2 stone now, and wanting to get down into the 9's has been my goal for over 1.5 years and I've been nowhere near achieving it.

But..... we continue .....

Oblomov, I think that's the hardest part. For me it's not because I'm hungry, it's because I'm in the habit of eating all the time. So I have been taking a mini pot of toasted nuts around with me, so that I have a few of those when I really want a little snack between meals. That's helped a lot. Also, keeping my hands busy. I take my crochet with me. If I'm doing that, I can't eat as well.

Jiggly, Bear, Bridge tell me in an idiots-guide, what you do to your roasted/curried cauliflower, because when I do it, My curry powder tastes all grainy and bitty. Maybe I need a new curry powder?

Oblomov I got mine from Asda, they weren’t the cheapest ones they do, they were 10 for about £3. I have had the same issue as you with very cheap ones. They seem to be holding up to freezing and microwaving quite well. I think it’s the dishwasher that actually causes the damage, so I hand wash them.
Re: cauliflower- the nicest one I’ve done was when I roasted it in a tray under chicken on skewers. Mix Greek yoghurt and tandoori powder, and marinate chicken thigh meat, then thread into skewers. Put the skewers over the tray of cauliflower (you need to find the right skewer/tray dimension combination!) and then the fat and tandoori drips onto the roasting cauliflower. Amazing! Otherwise I do just drizzle with some oil and sprinkle whatever spice over the top.

Feeling a bit rough today- I did have wine last night, and woke after 5 hours sleep with a headache. Do now feeling very tired. I did get in the treadmill though, thinking I’d get it out of the way. I have been hungry all day and keep finding myself in the fridge, not sure if this is tiredness or effects of drinking, or both?

If you mix the spice into the oil, then drizzle that over the cauliflower, that works a bit better, I find.

Well done bridget - great losses!
Thank you everyone for the kind wishes for DH He is still in hospital; had keyhole surgery and may be out on Monday.
I have been rubbish at BSD this week. Think white bread pre-packaged sandwiches; cream cakes; crisps; creamed rice. Whatever I can grab in the hospital shop or from the supermarket fridge when I run quickly round. It's still being balanced by the walking.It's the only benefit of pacing floors and DH being in such an old hospital that it's a veritable warren of corridors. Plus one of the real benefits of BSD-ing for so long is that I do think of portion sizes differently. I can remember when a sandwich, packet of crisps and a cake would have been one meal for me whereas now it feels like a day's worth of calories and carbs.

I mix a tablespoon of oil with about a teaspoon of medium curry powder in the bottom of a mixing bowl and then chuck the cauli in and turn it over so it's coated.

That skewer thing sounds amazing Bear!

I've just been to M&S and got one of their meals for two for a tenner. I chose cheese rather than pudding! I so, so nearly bought the New York cheesecake but bravely resisted!

Place hope he gets well soon. It sounds like you’re doing the best you can in the circumstances

I’ve been sooooooo lazy this afternoon, just lay on the sofa! Watching the aristocats with Ds, under a blanket. This is why I shouldn’t drink- it really does affect my mojo. I have eaten a lot today, not calorie counted, but thankfully all on plan. After 2 strict weeks, grazing has left me feeling all bloated and yuck. Dh is cooking tonight, rib eye steaks and asparagus, probably with a bit of blue cheese on the top. V tasty, v calorific! I was going to weigh in tomorrow, but I don’t think I will now.

Some positive/ victories to inspire me that all is not lost:
ran 4K today despite my hangover; well on the way to my target of doing a 5k before jan is over
Kids are still sugar free. They have literally not asked for biscuits or anything sweet today. I’m really really proud of us/ them as it would be so easy to offer them things but the truth is they’ve proven they don’t need it.
I’ve been sugar free too, even on the last two days where I have been less than angelic!
I’ve set an alarm to beep 5 times a day to remind me to drink water, and this is working.

Tonight I’ve got a big stack of slimming world and weight watchers mags to go through to look for recipes i can adapt for some inspiration for the menu plan this week.